1. FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to cartonboard containers, and more particularly, to such containers having sliding closure members.
2. DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
An abundance of consumer products, from milk to detergent to matches to diapers, are delivered to consumers in cartonboard containers. These containers are often used because they are o environmentally friendly, versatile and relatively inexpensive to make and transport. Consumers are often keenly aware of the sanitary and aesthetic aspects of such containers yet many of today's cartonboard containers lack these characteristics. To gain consumer acceptance, therefore, it is desirable that cartonboard containers have an easy opening and reclosing feature to promote aesthetics and sanitation.
Another drawback which often accompanies today's cartonboard containers is the inability to effectively dispense the product from the container. In many instances the consumer is required to reach into the container and grasp a single product unit for removal and use. It is often difficult, however, to grasp and remove only one product unit. This process is especially troubling with non-rigid sheet products. Nonrigid sheet products are relatively supple or pliable products having a small height dimension in relation to the width and depth dimensions. These products include feminine napkins, diapers, facial tissue, and paper which are often used one sheet at a time. Grasping an edge of only one sheet for removal from the carton is frequently a troubling task. Often, since the sheets lay against one another several sheets are grasped and removed. The extra sheets must then be stored outside the carton or simply wasted. Consequently, there is a need for a container which facilitates the grasping and removal of sheet products from cartonboard containers for removal one at a time.
Although there have been many containers which include an easy opening and reclosing mechanism, none have combined this feature with a means for aiding removal of sheet products. For example, two U.S. Pat. Nos. issued to Grimm (4,049,117 and 3,977,520 issued Sept. 20, 1977 and Aug. 31, 1976, respectively) disclose a cartonboard container having a slide actuated closure member. Axial reciprocating movement of the slide causes the end mounted closure member to rotate between open and closed positions. Once the closure member is in the open position the user grasps the exposed end portion of the product and removes it. This container, however, has no mechanism to facilitate grasping and removal of only one of the product units thereon.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an easy opening and reclosing cartonboard container for sheet products which includes a mechanism for facilitating removal of product units one at a time therefrom;
It is additionally an object of the present invention to provide such a container having pleasing aesthetic and sanitary characteristics;
It is further an object of the present invention that the container is biased toward the closed position when placed on a resting surface;
It is also an object of the present invention to provide such a container which promotes grasping an edge of one of the sheet products;
It is lastly an object of the present invention to provide a cartonboard container which accomplishes the aforementioned objectives at minimal costs.